INFLUENCE OF REPAIR WELDING OF AGED 18NI 250 MARAGING-STEEL WELDMENTS ON TENSILE AND FRACTURE PROPERTIES

The effects of repair welding on tensile strength and fracture toughness of aged weldments of 18 Ni 250-grade maraging steel have been studied. It has been established that aged weldments in the steel can be repaired and approximately 95% of the tensile strength of the initial welds could be achieved by postrepair aging treatment. Also, the repairs had practically no effect on the fracture toughness (K(IC)) of the weldment. These results have been discussed in terms of microstructural conditions in the various affected and unaffected zones of the initial weld. One important inference that emerges from the mechanical properties-microstructural correlation in the study is that K(IC) of the weld is independent of the gross microstructural features of dendritic size and shapes in the ranges observed in this study. It has, however, been cautioned that the above statement is not valid in cases in which heavy segregation occurs along the interdendritic boundaries resulting in heavily banded microstructure. This can result from faulty weld parameters such as excessive heat input. A second aging to recover the mechanical properties of the repaired zone has additional beneficial effects on tensile strengths and helps in maintaining fracture toughness to the original level of the initial weld.